


Thanksgiving Reverie

by merry_amelie



Series: Academic Arcadia [193]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Alternate Reality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-04
Updated: 2012-12-04
Packaged: 2018-04-10 15:20:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4397039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Our lads have much to be thankful for this year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thanksgiving Reverie

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EmilaWanKenobi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmilaWanKenobi/gifts).



> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> For  
> My beta team: Nerowill, Emila-Wan, and Carol  
> Mali Wane for posting  
> My former betas: Alex, Ula, and Padawan Sue
> 
> Companion story: [Equality in Arcadia](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4366022), which is the first story of the New York wedding arc.  
>   
> Thanksgiving in Arcadia:  
>   
> [Thanksgiving Kisses](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1798084)  
> [A Paduan Thanksgiving](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1907886)  
> [The Holiday Table](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4140567)  
> [A Place at the Table](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4209198)  
> 

Thanksgiving night in Alder Run was on the mellow side of the Force.  
  
Ian and Quinn had returned from their celebration in Padua earlier that evening. They'd had a great day with their family, replete with lively conversations, a Scrabble tournament, and enough food to stuff a Hutt, even Jabba himself.  
  
Now, they drowsed in front of their fireplace, wrapped together in their green and blue quilt. Artoo and Sandy were already asleep in their baskets in the kitchen, having indulged in their own Thanksgiving feast, complete with their favorite bacon puppy treats.  
  
Peace and contentment surrounded the men in their own little cocoon. The firelight painted them in a luminous glow, worthy of a Pre-Raphaelite brush-stroke. The quiet night relaxed along with them.  
  
Their sofa recliner was just made for snuggles, cuddles, and gentle kisses. Its supple leather cradled them in bliss as they cradled each other. Though they barely had the energy to stay up after their long day of over-indulgence, they couldn't resist the lure of basking by the fireside.  
  
Almost asleep, Quinn drifted into a contemplative reverie. Somehow, the holiday seemed more meaningful than ever for Ian and himself this year. They had so much to be thankful for.  
  
At the beginning of 2012, they had still felt like newlyweds after their wedding in New York on August 20th, just four months back. Then Valentine's Day had been particularly sweet for them, what with Ian hiding chocolate all over their office, just waiting for Quinn to find in the nooks and crannies of dusty old Taton Hall.  
  
The spring semester had been one of their best yet, with Quinn teaching his graduate course on Henry James, while Ian relished teaching his favorite class on the British Romantic movement, one of the 300-level courses he was getting more and more since his tenure. Not only that, but the Skyhawks had earned a team bronze medal on the parallel bars at the NCAA Gymnastics Championship that April. Of course, Quinn had gone on to tease Ian, saying the medal was a perfect match for his laddie's hair.  
  
Summer had brought another memorable Fourth of July, this time in Connecticut, during the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. And, perhaps best of all, were their frequent visits to the town pool in Alder Run with Violet, Lelia, and Han, who by this time felt like their honorary nephew.  
  
The fall semester, as usual, was frenetic and seemed to fly by at the speed of the Millennium Falcon during a Kessel Run. Hurricane Sandy had shut down classes for a whole week and thrown the academic schedule into chaos. Luke's Chancellor Vellum had finally decided to go with a 13-week semester and call it complete, although the Faculty Federation was not happy with the tense negotiations necessary to finalize the shorter term.  
  
Thanksgiving week had been a spicy seasonal blend of Christmas shopping, Kathy's pfeffernuesse and lebkuchen cookies, along with their gingerbread lattes. They had already picked up Gandalf and Bilbo plush toys from Barnes and Noble as stocking stuffers for Lelia, knowing that their little niece couldn't wait for the Hobbit movie to come out in December. And she wasn't the only one.  
  
Since Lelia was on vacation at the same time as Ian and he, they all made a happy little party at the neighborhood mall. The men surprised their tiny princess by taking her to her favorite store, Build-a-Bear, and letting her get any stuffed animals she wanted. But her uncles weren't surprised by her choices: Build-a-Bear turned out to mean Build-a-Jedi to Lelia. She ran up to them carrying Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bears, and all three of them outfitted the Jedi together, complete with the Master's long hair along with the adorable Padawan spikes and braid, all made of brown yarn.  
  
Quinn smiled when he remembered her hugging them to her tummy, one in each arm, and looking like the happiest little girl in the galaxy. And she'd brought the bears with her to celebrate the holiday; Uncle Ian had even carried in an extra chair for the Jedi to perch on next to Lelia.  
  
Which brought them to Thanksgiving Day itself.  
  
What was Quinn most thankful for, besides Ian and their loving family and friends? Probably the progress he'd felt in his very bones on Election Day. He would never forget the emotions thrilling through him then...  
  
 _[Flashback to November 6th]_  
  
Jubilation!  
  
Quinn had never felt as elated as he did late on Election Night, except on his wedding days (and nights) in Massachusetts and New York.  
  
The last time he'd come close to this level of exhilaration was when New York State had approved marriage equality, on June 24, 2011. He would never forget that incredible Friday night.  
  
Just like back then, he and Ian had spent a tense night, filled with a jittery sense of uncertainty, glued to the television set. Ian kept trying to cheer him up with treats, first Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby ice cream, later bringing in the cavalry with Ginny's dark-chocolate Ghirardelli brownies, freshly baked that very afternoon.  
  
Okay, the brownies made him feel a bit better, he had to admit. He chuckled to himself as he licked the last traces of chocolate off his lips, knowing Ian was too tired to do justice to them tonight.  
  
Then, just a few minutes before midnight, he had finally let himself believe in the election results. When he saw the insurmountable electoral college math for himself, the tension just melted away. He stared at the Ohio statistics for what seemed like the thousandth time and looked over to see Ian's wide smile. Smiling back, he let out what felt like the world's longest-held breath.  
  
He gathered Ian into his embrace, holding him tight. No words would come right away. After a long moment, he was able to say, "Can't believe my own eyes, laddie. We did it! It's finally over."  
  
"We won!" Ian almost jumped out of his skin and probably would have, if not for Quinn's tender arms around him.  
  
"It's better than my wildest dreams, lad," marveled Quinn. "President Obama was re-elected. Three states voted for marriage equality."  
  
"And don't forget that Minnesota rejected an anti-gay amendment to their Constitution." Ian looked happily stunned, to Quinn's doting eyes. "All this, and an Iowa judge who ruled for equality won re-election."  
  
Quinn beamed in amazement at the cornucopia of good news.  
  
"I'm just so relieved," Ian said, a happy grin spreading to the exhausted corners of his face.  
  
"Me, too." Quinn kissed Ian's russet spikes. "When I was growing up, I never could've imagined that we would have this kind of support."  
  
"That's because you never did when you were a boy," said Ian ruefully, nuzzling into Quinn's pullover.  
  
Quinn pulled him even closer. "It's a new world now, laddie." He leaned in, anticipation lighting his face.  
  
They shared a very married kiss, the cricks and creaks of having sat in one place for hours reminding them of their successful vigil.  
  
 _[End flashback]_  
  
He and Ian had many reasons for giving thanks this year and felt blessed for every one. Warmed by his herven (husband in Sindarin) and the fire, he finally drifted off to sleep, a smile still gracing his face.


End file.
